George l



(No Model.) G. L. DONOVAN.

CAN OPENER.

-N0.'517,268. Patented Mar. 27, 1894.

NITED STATES ATENT sates.

GEORGE L. DONOVAN, OF WALLINGFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TODARKES FAGAN, OF SAME PLACE.

CAN-OPENER.

- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 517,268, dated March2'7, 1894.

Application filed September 22, 1893. $erial No. 436,160. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE L. DONOVAN, of Wallingford, in-the county ofNew Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement inCarr-Openers; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken inconnection with accompanying drawings and the letters of referencemarked thereon, to be afull, clear, and exact description of the same,and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, andrepresent, in-

Figure 1, a view in side elevation of one form which a can-openerconstructed in accordance with my invention may assume; Fig. 2, asimilar edge view; Fig. 3, an end view looking toward the doublefulcrum-head of the handle; Fig. 4:,a detached view in side elevation ofthe knife; Fig. 5, a broken view in side elevation of one of themodified forms which my improved instrument may have; Fig. 6, asectional view thereof on the line ab of Fig. 5.

My invention relates to an improvement in can-openers, the object beingto produce, at a low cost for manufacture, a simple, durable, and highlyefiectiv'e instrument.

With these ends in view, my invention consists in a handle having at oneend a double fulcrum head, and a yoke-shaped knife having two blades,formed in one piece of metal and applied to the handle, so that itsrespective blades will stand against the opposite faces of the saidhead.

My invention further consists in a canopener having certain details ofconstruction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

As herein shown, the handle A, of my improved instrument, is of ordinaryform in its general construction, except that it is provided at itsinner end with a double fulcrum head A, one end of which has a circularnotch a, while its opposite end has an angular notch a, these notchesadapting the instrument to be conveniently used either with round orsquare cornered cans. The said head A has a flat overhanging face, whichas shown, is of slightly oblong form.

The knife B, is formed from a single piece of metal, and is yoke-shaped,having two corresponding blades B and B and also having as shown, acentral locking notch 12, formed in its base or body-portion. This knifeis applied to the handle so that its respective blades B and B willstand opposite to the notches a and a formed in the opposite ends of thedouble fulcrum-head before described. The said knife may be applied tothe handle in any suitable manner. By preference the knife is placed inthe mold in which the handle is cast before the metal is poured, wherebyit is firmly held in place, for the metal enters its locking notch b,and stops it from being displaced under the severe strains to which theblades are subjected.

Figs. 5 and 6 show one of the modified constructions which my improveddevice may assume. In this case the handle C, is formed separately, andconstructed with a transverse recess C, which is entered at its outerend by an angular shoulder C The knife is placed in this recess, thesaid shoulder C taking into its locking notch 19. After it is a in placeit is secured to the handle by means of a locking-plate D, constructedwith an angular notch to receive the shoulder C and secured to thehandle by means of a screw E.

This construction also provides for preventing the knife from beingdisplaced under the severe strains to which it is subjected, for therespective faces of the shoulder C form abutments to take the thrust ofthe blades when in use. This construction also enables the knife to bereadily removed from the tool for sharpening it.

If preferred, the knife might be riveted in place. I have not shown thatconstruction, because it is too obvious to require illustration'.

In view of the above suggestions, and of other changes which mayobviously be made, I would have it understood that I do not limit myselfto the exact construction herein shown and described, but hold myself atliberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within thespirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A can-opener having a handle provided with a double fulcrum head, anda yokeshaped knife having two blades, formed in one piece and applied tothe handle so that they will stand opposite the respective faces of thedouble fulcrum-head thereof, substantially as described.

2. A can-opener having a handle provided with a double fulcrum-headconstructed at its opposite eudswith circular and triangular notchesrespectively, and a yoke-shaped knife formed in one piece, having twoblades and applied to the said handle so that its respective blades willstand opposite the notches in the said double fulcrum-head,substantially as described.

3. A can-opener having its handle provided with a double fulcrum headand a yokeing witnesses.

GEORGE L, DONOVAN. Witnesses:

LILLIAN D. KELSEY, FRED. G. EARLE.

